Mopping-machine.



F. A. ESPELAND. MOPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-29.1918. 1 ,297,81 6. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET AIM/Wonf Es PEA 17/70 F. A. ESPELAND.

MOPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001.29. 1918.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- f5 REL 19/)0 TED STATS MOPPING-MACHINE.

T 0 all whom't't may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN A. Esra- LAND, a, citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at ()akes, in the county of Dickey and Stateof North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinMopping llrlachines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in mopping machines underthe broad class of brushing and scrubbing machines, the primary objectof the invention being the provision of a. domestic floor moppingmachine that is operated in manner similar to a carpet cleaner orsweeper of the hand type, to cleanse the floor or other surface,andwring from the endless belt that forms the cleansing element thedirty water.

The invention involves the construction and combination and arrangementof parts in such a'devic e as will be hereinafter set forth,particularly with relation to the detachable reservoir or tank forreceiving the dirty water from the wringer rollers.

In the accompanying drawings one example of the physical embodiment ofthe invention is illustrated showing the best mode so far devised forthe practical application of theprinciples of the invention, and thisdevic'e has proven its success in actual operation.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the machines embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, central, longitudinal view of the machine in Fig.-1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, central, transverse sectional view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the remova'ble reservoir or receivingtank for the Wringer rollers and guide for the endless mop.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a complete device. I

In the )referred form of the invention as illustrated, the implement isof the type of hand operated carpet sweeper, and involves the use of thehousing 1, which is preferably of sheet metal and supported on wheels sothat it may be pushed and pulled across the floor to be cleansed bymeans of the yoke 3 pivoted to the housing at 4 and provided with theusual handle 3.

The wheels 2 are fixed to revolve with. their shafts or axles 5 and 6which are journaled in the housing and on these shafts are fixed therespective wooden rolls 7 and S,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Application filed October 29, 1918. Serial No. 260,135

each formed with end flanges 9 for guidance of the endless mat or mop10.

The mop is of suitable material for the purpose, and in the form of anendless belt it passes over the oppositely disposed rolls 11, 11, eachhaving a. shaft 12 supported in the housing, and these rolls have guideflanges 13 at their ends for the edges of the mop. The housing is openat the bottom, and the rollers 7, 8, and 11 extend transversely of thehousing, the rollers 7 and S projecting below the bottom of the housingso that the mop 10 isguided and held with its bottom surface below thetread of the supporting wheels 2 of the device. The idle rollers 11, 11are arranged directly above the mop actuating rollers 7 and S, andmidway between the two rollers 11, 11 are arranged the transversewringer rolls for the mop. The lower wringer roll 14 has a fixed orstationary axle 15, while the upper wringer roll 16 has a flexiblysupported axle 17,

which is under tension and pressed toward the lower roll as in otherwringers of this type.

At each end of the axle 17 and outside the housing, is attached avertical slide plate 18 movable with relation to the fixed base plate 19which projects above the housing, and this base plate is fashioned withguide lugs 20 so that the slide plate 18 may be moved with relation tothe baseplate and be guided thereon. The spring '21 interposed betweenthe head 22 of the slide plate 18 and the head 23 of the fixed baseplate 19 is coiled about the bar or rod 24, and the spring, it will beapparent, holds the axle 17 and of course the roller 16 down, so thatthe roller is engaged on top of the endless mop 10. Directly under thewrin er rolls is located the removable receptacfe or reservoir 25 forthe dirty water squeezed out of the mop, and this reservoir is of propersize and shape tofit up within the housing between the rollers 7 and Swith its end walls extending up back of the ends of the lower wringerroll 14, to a point just below the axle 15. Oppositely disposed flanges"26 are arranged to be positioned below and at the sides of the lowerroll 1s, and these Flanges, which extend the entire length of thereservoir, guide the water as it drips or drops from the wrin'ger rollsinto the reservoir, and the water may be drained from the reservoirthrough the outlet 27 at one end near the bottom thereof.

The reservoir is detachably fastened to the housing through theinstrumentality of three suspending hooks, as 28 pivoted at one end, and28' pivoted at the other end of the reservoir, the hooks being oflset sothat they will swing freely on their pivots to'engage over theirrespective, threaded bolts 29 that project from the the housing inposition to be engaged thereby, and each of these threaded bolts has abutterfly or wing nut 30 to clamp the hook in place on the bolt. In thismanner the reservoir not only'forms a receptacle for the Water drippingfrom the wringer, but it performs the function of a guide. for theendless mop, and the bottom 25' of the receptacle or tank holds the mopto its working surface. The mop is caused to travel about the rollersdue to the movement of the housing as it is pushed back and forth on.its wheels, the rollers 7 and 8 actuating the mop to travel in eitherdirection depending upon the direction of stroke of the device. But inall movements, the mop orv endless belt is held to its Work between therollers by the bottom surface of the reservoir, and of course the mop ispassed through the wringer rollers with each move nient of the mop tosqueeze Water therefrom.

\Vhat I claim is a .1. In a. mopping machine the combination with thebottom the actuating wheels and axles supported in the housing andactuating rollers on said axles, and an endless mopping belt passingunder said actuating rollers, and idle rollers for the belt, of adetachable reservoir supported in the housing and a wringingdeviceacting on the belt above said reservoir, said reservoir having a'planebottom face to hold the mopping belt on the surface to be cleansed asthe belt passes under the reservoir, and means for supporting'thereservoir in contact with the mopping belt.

2. In a mopping machine, the combination with the open bottom housing,the actuating wheels and axles supported in the housing and actuatingrollers on said axles, and an endless mop ing belt passing under saidactuating ro lers, and-idle rollers for the belt, of a pair of wringerrolls engaging the belt, an open top reservoir-with guide flanges belowthe wringer rolls, pivoted hooks on the ends of the reservoir. to engagesupportmg dev1ces on the hous1ng, and sald reservoir having a planebottom face. and held to the housing whereby the reservoir bottom holdsthe mopping belt to t;l1e'surt'ace to be cleansed. I

In testimony WhBIGOfI ZLI 'IlX my signature.

FRANKLIN A.- ESPELAND.

